Part 23 (1/2)
”Wait here, it will be safer,” he said ”There ain there may not I want to find out before they see you, whoever they are”
The sound of firing had ceased now, but loud yelling was distinctly audible from down the river Byrne took a step down the bank toward the water
”Wait!” whispered the girl ”Here they coed the mucker down behind a bush
In silence the tatched the approaching party
”They're the chinks,” announced Byrne, who insisted on using this word to describe the proud and haughty samurai
”Yes, and there are thite , a note of suppressed excitement in her voice
”Prisoners,” said Byrne ”Some of the precious bunch fro straight up the edge of the river In a few minutes they would pass within a hundred feet of the island Billy and the girl crouched low behind their shelter
”I don't recognize them,” said the man
”Why--why--O Mr Byrne, it can't be possible!” cried the girl with suppressed excitement ”Those two men are Captain Norris and Mr Foster, mate of the Lotus!”
Byrne half rose to his feet The party was opposite their hiding place now
”Sit tight,” he whispered ”I'et 'em,” and then, fiercely ”for your sake, because I love you--now laugh,” and he was gone
He ran lightly down the river bank unnoticed by the samurai who had already passed the island In one hand he bore the long war spear of the head-hunter he had slain At his belt hung the long sword of Oda Yorimoto, and in its holster reposed the revolver of the Count de Cadenet
Barbara Harding watched him as be forded the river, and cla rapidly after the sao up, and then froe yell that would have done credit to a whole tribe of Apaches
The warriors turned in ti toward them and then, as he dashed into their ht and left The two prisoners took advantage of the consternation of their guards to grapple with them and possess themselves of weapons
There had been but six samurai in the party, two had fallen before Byrne's initial onslaught, but the other four, recovered from their first surprise, turned now to battle with all the terrific ferocity of their kind
Again, at a crucial ust Byrne discarded it, falling back upon the long shich he was no match for the saround, and ran it through the body of one of the japs as pressing Byrne too closely Odds were even now--they fought three against three
Norris still clung to the spear--it was by far theswords of the saonist and then rushed to the assistance of Foster
Barbara Harding fro hiainst the superior swords to get past the jap's guard and get his hands upon him, but it was evident that the hter to permit of that There could be but one outcohty quickly The girl grasped the short sword that she constantly wore now, and rushed into the river She had never before crossed it except in Byrne's ar It almost swept her off her feet before she was halfway across, but she never for an instant thought of abandoning her effort
After what seemed an eternity she floundered out upon the mainland, and when she reached the top of the bank she saw to her delight that Byrne was still on his feet, fighting Foster and Norris were pushi+ng their er
Quickly she ran toward Byrne and the samurai She saicked smile upon the brown face of the little warrior, and then she saw his gleaed out aardly to parry the expected blow the keen edge swerved and came down upon his head
She was an instant too late to save, but just in tie--scarcely had the samurai's sword touched the mucker than the point of Oda Yorimoto's short sword, wielded by the fair hand of Barbara Harding, plunged into his heart With a shriek he collapsed beside the body of his victi threw herself beside Byrne Apparently life was extinct